Shloka 112

Devanagari script

प्राच्यां दिशि शिरः शस्तं याम्यायाम् अथवा नृप सदैव स्वपतः पुंसो विपरीतं तु रोगदम्

Transliteration

prācyāṃ diśi śiraḥ śastaṃ yāmyāyām athavā nṛpa sadaiva svapataḥ puṃso viparītaṃ tu rogadam

Translation

Tâu Đại vương, người nam khi ngủ nên đặt đầu hướng về phương Đông, hoặc phương Nam; còn nằm ngược hướng ấy thì sinh bệnh tật.

Word by Word

• प्राच्याम्: in the eastern (direction)
• प्राच्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (feminine locative singular; adjective)

• दिशि: in the direction
• दिशि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (feminine locative singular)

• शिरः: the head (position)
• शिरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (neuter nominative singular)

• शस्तम्: commended, proper
• शस्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त (कृदन्त; √शंस् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त/कृतप्रत्यय (PPP), विशेषणम् (neuter nominative singular; ‘commended’)

• याम्यायाम्: in the southern (direction)
• याम्यायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (feminine locative singular; adjective)

• अथवा: or
• अथवा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (conjunction of alternative: ‘or’)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (masculine vocative singular)

• सदैव: always
• सदैव: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा + एव (अव्यय; अव्ययीभाव)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time: ‘always’)

• स्वपतः: of a sleeping (person)
• स्वपतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वपत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले विशेषणार्थे (masculine genitive singular; ‘of one who sleeps’)

• पुंसः: of a man
• पुंसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स्/पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (masculine genitive singular)

• विपरीतम्: the opposite (position)
• विपरीतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपरीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (neuter nominative singular; ‘opposite/contrary’)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• रोगदम्: causing disease
• रोगदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोग + द (प्रातिपदिक); √दा (धातु) भावे/कर्तरि
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रोगं ददाति इति) (neuter nominative singular; ‘disease-giving’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; framed as counsel addressed to a king within the teaching style)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Rules of proper conduct for householders (sleeping orientation and health)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Daily bodily conduct (such as sleeping with the head to the East or South) is enjoined as part of dharma because it supports health and steadiness of life.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Maintain consistent sleep hygiene and orderly routines that protect health and mental clarity.

Vishishtadvaita: Embodied life is a mode of the Lord’s order; caring for the body as a dharmic instrument supports devotion and duty.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• King (nṛpa)

FAQs

What is the significance of sleep direction in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents sleep posture as part of ācāra (right conduct), aligning the body with auspicious directions (East/South) to support health and order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain practical dharma in this context?

He includes everyday disciplines—such as how one should sleep—showing that dharma is lived through bodily habits that preserve well-being and social stability.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the instruction reflects a Vaishnava Purana theme: living in harmony with cosmic law ultimately supports the ordered world sustained by Vishnu.